Outbreak of World War I“The Great War” 1914-1918

Outbreak of World War I

• England, France, Russia (Allies)

• vs.

• Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire (Central Powers)

Outbreak of World War I

Outbreak of World War I

• Major Causes:

• Militarism – Building up your army

• Alliance System – Making deals with other countries in case of war

• Imperialism – Taking over other weaker countries

• Nationalism – Extreme sense of patriotism and feeling that your country is the best

Outbreak of World War I

• The heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, Archduke Ferdinand is assassinated in June 1914 by a Serbian nationalist (terrorist)

• Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. Because of the alliance system, all other countries joined, making it a World War

Outbreak of World War I

•Although the U.S. was heavily involved in world affairs, President Wilson pledges to keep the U.S. out of war in 1914 and remain neutral

•Americans did not see this as our problem, but a “European conflict”

•Many Americans were torn about the war and had to pick a side to support due to their heritage

Outbreak of World War I

• German-Americans were discriminated against because of their ancestry

• German books were burned

• German language was no longer taught

• German sounding words were changed to sound more American

Outbreak of World War I

• Over the next 3 years, this war kills millions as new technology is used in combat:

• -Machine Gun• -Tanks/Planes/Submarines• -Poison Gas

• Men fight and die in the trenches and in “No Man’s Land”

Outbreak of World War I

RMS Lusitania carrying 128 Americans torpedoed and sunk in 1915

Outbreak of World War I

Outbreak of World War I

• How do we get Americans to support this war?

• Propaganda: Pictured the war as the civilized and democratic nations against a barbaric monarchy of Germany

Outbreak of World War I

•The U.S. is forced to eventually pick a side in this war and favors the Allies. American trade with Germany almost stops, but trade with our Allies quadruples!

•Germany believes the U.S. has decided to work as an enemy

•Is this still being neutral??

Outbreak of World War I

• What finally brought the U.S. into World War I in 1917?

• Germany’s use of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare:

• Germany would sink Allied ships without first notifying the crew on board. This went against the code of war

Outbreak of World War I

1917:

• Germany sinking ships carrying Americans • Germany issues the Zimmerman Note,

asking Mexico to attack us• Russian Revolution begins knocking Russia

out of WWI; looks like the U.S. would join a Democratic alliance

• The U.S. joins the war on the Allied side